Spiced Nuts (Yum!)

I have company coming for drinks and cocktails tonight, and I wanted to add something to the usual boring cheese board, prosciutto and salami that I'm serving. I remembered having seen this nuts recipe in a Cooks Illustrated magazine, so I thought I'd give it a try. Excellent results, if I may say so myself -- the nuts were crispy and well-flavored with the mild spices in it. They're truly so more-ish -- once you start eating them you can't stop! I will definitely make this for the coming holidays. [Note:  I used a mixture of almonds and walnuts, which were what I had at hand. Next time I will add cashews, macadamia, and pecans.]
   I have always found it tricky to make the spices adhere to the nuts, and the secret in this recipe is the water-diluted egg white, while the salt prevents it from coagulating. I have added some variations at the end of the recipe, for other exciting flavors.

Ingredients:

1 large egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound unsalted raw nuts

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with nonstick cooking spray, or use nonstick aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg white, water, and salt. Add nuts and toss to coat. Transfer to a colander and strain thoroughly, about 4 to 5 minutes.

In another large bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and a coriander. Add the drained nuts and toss well to coat each piece of nut with the sugar mixture. Spread nuts evenly onto prepared baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through.

Cool nuts completely, then break apart and serve. May be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Makes about 5 cups.

Variations:
Asian Spiced Nuts:  Recommend macadamia and cashews. Follow recipe above, but substitute 1 tablespoon Coca-Cola for the water. Decrease ginger to 1/2 teaspoon and substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder for the cinnamon and coriander.
Rosemary-Lemon Spiced Nuts: Recommend almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts. Follow recipe above, substituting 1 tablespoon lemon juice for water and adding 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest to egg white mixture. Substitute 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and coriander.
Chili-Lime Spiced Nuts: Recommend cashews, peanuts and almonds. Follow recipe above, substituting 1 tablespoon lime juice for water and adding 1 tablespoon grated lime zest to egg white mixture. Substitute 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper for cinnamon, ginger, and coriander.